A delicious authentic Vietnamese beef stew made by braising beef with spices and aromatics from lemongrass to star anise. If you love tender, fall apart braised beef stew, you definitely need to check out this Bo Kho recipe. It can be eaten as beef noodle soup with rice noodles or dipped in a Vietnamese baguette!
Table of Contents
Bo kho is a very flavorful Vietnamese stew made by braising beef with a lot of fragrant aromatics such as lemongrass, star anise, and cinnamon.
One of the biggest reasons why I love Bo Kho is because it is such a versatile dish. It can start out like a stew and be eaten with a Vietnamese baguette or some rice.
Similar to another Vietnamese noodle dish called bun bo hue, it can also be served as a soup with rice noodles by thinning out the stew by adding more beef broth or coconut water to it and adding a few additional splashes of fish sauce.
This Vietnamese stew is actually not very different than your traditional beef stew. The main difference is the wonderful Vietnamese aromatics which add a lot of extra flavors. Instead of using traditional herbs like herb de Provence, thyme, or rosemary, Bo Kho uses star anise, lemongrass, and cinnamon.
So if you have never tried this, and love beef stew, I would highly suggest you try this!
Ingredients and Substitutions
The list of ingredients for bo kho is long but don't let it intimidate you as most of the ingredients are part of the marinade. Once you marinate the beef, braising the beef is easy to do, it just requires time.
Marinade Ingredients
- Beef - For this stew, I like using beef chuck because the meat doesn't get stringy and dry and gets really tender on its own without any tenderizer. Chuck is also known as blade roast. Oxtail is another favorite option as well but it takes a bit longer to cook. See below for ideas of the different types of beef you can use for this stew.
- Kiwi - I use kiwi as a natural meat tenderizer for this stew. If I use chuck or oxtail, I generally will skip putting in the kiwi because those cuts of meat get tender naturally, the longer you cook it.
It's important not to marinate it for more than 24 hours because kiwi is a very strong meat tenderizer, and it may tenderize the meat too much and make it mushy. - Cola - I use cola as another tenderizer as well. Cola gives the marinade a bit of sweetness as well which lightly sweetens the stew in the end. Don't worry, you don't pour any of the cola marinade into the stew itself, we discard the marinade. It is also the main liquid of the marinade, so if you decide to omit it, add a bit of water in its place.
- Ginger/Garlic/Onion - These 3 aromatics are a must in the marinade.
- Chinese Five Spice Powder - This spice gives the meat marinade a nice spiced flavor
- Fish Sauce - Fish sauce is the salt element of the marinade. You can substitute it with soy sauce, but I highly recommend sticking with fish sauce.
Stew Ingredients
- Lemongrass - I like to use fresh lemongrass stalks for this recipe, so I can easily find and remove them before serving it. If you are using fresh lemongrass, make sure you remove the outer layer and wash off any sand before smashing it to bruise it to release the flavor. You can find fresh lemongrass at your local Asian grocery store in the fridge. If you can't find fresh lemongrass, you can use frozen pre-ground lemongrass as well, but you won't be able to fish out the lemongrass at the end.
- Broth - I like to use beef broth for this recipe. Try to use low sodium broth, so you can control how salty it is with fish sauce and salt in the end.
- Tomato Paste - Tomato paste is the base flavor of this stew. You can put more to keep the stew thicker to eat with rice or dip with Vietnamese baguettes, or you can put a little less with a bit more broth to thin out the stew to eat with noodles.
- Ginger/Garlic/ Onions - These 3 aromatics are a must in the stew. Do not omit it, it provides a lot of flavor to it.
- Butter - I like to use a bit of butter to help the browning of the beef.
- Shaoxing Cooking Wine - This cooking wine adds another layer of flavor to the stew. If you cannot find it, you can substitute it with dry sherry.
- Cinnamon/Star Anise/Bay Leaves - These 3 spices are a must. They give the stew another layer of flavor that differentiates the standard stew from a Vietnamese beef stew.
- Fish Sauce - This will give your stew a lot of flavors, as well as give its saltiness. I highly recommend you don't substitute this out.
Best Meat for Bo Kho
The type of beef cut you use in this Bo Kho is important if you want something tender without it being too dry or too stringy.
Here are a few I turn to whenever I make this delicious Vietnamese beef stew, feel free to switch this up and experiment with it! Also keep in mind, that cooking time will also vary depending on what cut of beef you use.
- Beef Shank or Oxtail: I personally found the best cut of beef for this stew was beef shank or oxtail, partially because of all the connective tissues which eventually will melt into the stew giving it a richer and silkier broth. They are also very tender cuts of beef that have a nice chew to them without stringiness. The downside to beef shank and oxtail is that it takes a lot longer to cook.
- Chuck (aka top or bottom blade roast): This is my second favorite meat to use for the recipe. This is a fattier cut of meat which also has a great texture. Chuck is often labeled as a blade roast or a blade pot roast as well.
- Boneless Beef Ribs: This one is more on the expensive side, but the marbling of fats combined with the connective tissues makes this a great cut of beef to use in Bo Kho. The final product when cooked is a very tender and buttery chunk of beef that practically melts in your mouth.
- Beef brisket: I tend to stay away from it since the texture can be a bit stringy and since it is a tougher cut of meat, it takes a very long time to cook.
- Beef Tendon: This is a nice addition to the stew and can thicken it very nicely with its gelatinous texture but it is a very tough piece of meat and I recommend pressure cooking this ahead of time and adding it in the last hour of simmering the stew.
How to Make Bo Kho
MARINATING (AND TENDERIZING) THE BEEF
I like to marinate meats before I cook them for additional flavor, but occasionally when I'm cooking tougher cuts of meat I like to use my marinade as a tenderizer as well.
For Bo Kho, I like to marinate and tenderize the meat with a can of cola and a kiwi. The acids help break down the tissue (just make sure you don't over marinate this, 24 hours is usually more than enough time) and the sweetness from the marinade gives the stew just the right amount of sweetness.
PREPARE THE REST OF THE VEGETABLES AND AROMATICS
Make sure you discard the dry tips and the dried outer layer of the lemongrass, they are usually dried out and don't have much flavor, then wash the lemongrass under water to remove any sand.
Fresh lemongrass is a tough herb and I found that the best way to release its oils and flavor is to smash it once you have them cut into 2-3 inch chunks. I like to use a rolling pin but you can also use the back of your knife blade as well.
Cut your carrots into 1.5 inch chunks and set it aside.
BROWNING YOUR BEEF
Browning beef is a pretty important step because it seals in the juices by locking in the juices with a crusty char but one of my main reasons for browning the meats is the char bits leftover in the pot. The little char bits are actually flavor! Once you start to add the liquids into the pot, you can gently scrape the bottom of the pan and these char bits will give the stew a lot of flavors.
It is important that when you are browning your beef, you are not overcrowding the pan. This will drop the temperature of the pan and your beef will end up steaming/boiling instead of browning.
To get a nice brown crust on your beef, try not to touch it once you have it on the pan. This will give it a chance to form the char from the consistent heat on the meat surface. Check on it after 20-30 seconds and flip the beef.
How to Serve This Vietnamese Beef Stew
- Bo Kho with a Baguette or Rice - You can initially make it as a thick hearty stew, and have it for dinner with some plain white rice, vermicelli rice, or dipped with a French/Vietnamese baguette. Be prepared for a cozy meal!
- Bo Kho with Noodles - Make it into a soup for noodle bowl the next day simply by adding a cup of beef broth or coconut water to it to thin it out and adding a bit more fish sauce to taste. That's a double-duty recipe right there!
FAQs
Yes, you definitely can but freezing it may change the texture of the carrots and the beef.
I personally like to use beef shank or oxtail for bo kho because of all the connective tissues in the meat which break down to make a rich and silkier stew They are also incredibly tender cuts of beef if they are cooked long enough.
Alternatively, you can also use beef chuck (aka top or bottom blade roast), and boneless beef ribs, which are easier to find and also very tender and flavorful.
If you have the time (or a pressure cooker) you can also add beef tendon as well, which I also highly recommend.
I go into more detail about the types of beef in the post above.
I like to marinate the beef in kiwi and cola overnight to tenderize the beef. You can also use one or the other if you don't have both. It also provides a bit of sweetness to the marinade as well.
When I can't get a hold of Vietnamese baguettes here, I will use French baguettes which are easier to find. French banquettes are longer in size and slightly denser but it's just as tasty and a very good substitute!
I like to cut them into 5-6 inch sized pieces and toast them in the oven for a few minutes to get them crusty before serving with bo kho.
More Vietnamese Recipes You May Like
- Bun Bo Hue (Spicy Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup)
- Vietnamese Grilled Shrimp Vermicelli Noodle Bowl
- Vietnamese Grilled Lemongrass Pork Chops
- Nem Nuong (Vietnamese Grilled Pork Sausages)
- Nuoc Cham Vietnamese Dipping Sauce
- Canh Chua (Vietnamese Sweet and Sour Soup)
- Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken
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Recipe Card
Bo Kho (Vietnamese Beef Stew)
Joyce's Recipe Notes
- If you use beef shank or oxtail, you will need to increase the cooking time, since they are tougher cuts of beef. Definitely worth it though.
- If you use oxtail, you will get less meat if you use 1.5kg of oxtail since the majority of the weight will come from the bones.
- If you like your beef stew spicy, you can add 1-2 Thai chilies into the stew while the beef is braising.
- It's important not to marinate it for more than 24 hours because kiwi is a very strong meat tenderizer, and it may tenderize the meat too much and make it mushy.
Ingredients
Beef Marinade
- 1 kg beef (shank, oxtail, boneless rib, chunk or sirloin tip - see notes)
- 1 kiwi (smashed)
- 1 can of cola (355 ml, approximately 1 ½ cups)
- 2 inch ginger (cut roughly into strips)
- 2-3 garlic cloves (roughly chopped)
- 1 onion (cut into slices)
- 2 teaspoons five spice powder
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce
Bo Kho Stew Ingredients
- 2 inch fresh ginger (sliced thickly)
- 4 cloves garlic (roughly chopped)
- 1-2 onions (sliced)
- 2 stalks fresh lemongrass
- 1 cinnamon stick (2 inch long)
- 3-4 whole star anise
- 3 bay leaves
- ¼ cup tomato paste (add an additional 2 tablespoons if you want a thicker stew)
- 2-3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons fish sauce (adjust to taste)
- ¼ cup shaoxing cooking wine (or dry sherry)
- 2-3 large carrots
- 4 cups low sodium beef broth (32oz)
(Optional) If You are Transforming it to a Noodle Soup
- 1-3 cup beef broth (add more if you like a thinner soup for noodles)
- fish sauce (adjust to taste)
Garnishes
- ½ white onion (or any sweet onion, thinly sliced - don't skip this, it really adds a lot of flavor to the final dish)
- fresh basil
- lime wedges
- crispy deep fried shallots
Instructions
Marinate the Beef
- Cut the beef into 1 ½ inch chunks and place it in large bowl
- Roughly chop the garlic and onions and place it in the bowl
- Slice the ginger and cut them into thick matchsticks and place it in the bowl
- Add the five spice, fish sauce and cola in the bowl
- Peel the kiwi and smash it with the fork, put the smashed kiwi in the bowl
- Mix everything well and marinate it overnight in the fridge. If you're pressed for time, marinate it for at least 4 hours in room temperature.It's important not to marinate it for more than 24 hours because kiwi is a very strong meat tenderizer, and it may tenderize the meat too much and make it mushy.
Preparation
- Remove the marinating beef from the fridge and drain the liquid.
- Discard the arromatics (the onions, garlic and ginger). Don't worry we use fresh arromatics for the stew.
- Let the beef sit in room temperature for an hour, this will help with the browning of the beef since the beef won't be as cold.
- Peel and slice an onion and set it a side
- Peel and roughly chop the garlic and set it a side
- Slice the ginger and set it a side
- Peel and chop the carrot into 2 inch chunks and set it aside
- Peel the dried outer layer of the lemongrass and cut off the dried tips and discard it. Wash the lemongrass to remove any sand. Cut the lemongrass into 2-3 inch chunks and smash it with a rolling pin or the blunt back of your knife to release the oils.
Putting It Together
- Place a large heavy bottom pot or a dutch oven over the stove on medium heat and add a bit of oil with 1-2 tablespoons of butter
- When the pot is hot, add the beef in one at a time, careful not too crowd it too much. Brown the beef in batches. (The beef browns better if you touch it less, it gives it a chance to form a crust)
- Once all the beef has browned, add all the beef back in and add in the chopped onions, garlic, ginger, lemongrass, cinnamon stick and star anise and toast it with the meat for about 5 minutes
- Add in the tomato paste and mix everything well, cook for another 2-3 minutes
- Add in the cooking wine, beef broth and bay leaves and gently scrape the bottom of the pan if there are brown bits stuck to the bottom (this is flavor).
- Bring it to a boil. Once it has started boiling, reduce the heat to low and put a lid on it and let it simmer. Set a timer for 2 ½ hours. (If you are using oxtail or beef shank, you will need to cook it a lot longer, by approximately 1 hour more)
- Once 2 ½ hours have passed, stir the stew and check the beef for tenderness. If it is still tough continue to cook it for another 30 minutes. If the stew needs more liquid, add more beef broth or water.
- Once it is tender, add in the carrots and continue to cook it for another 30 minutes with the lid on until the carrots are soft
- Add the fish sauce and adjust it to your taste
- Fish out the lemongrass, star anise and bay leaves and serve with a Vietnamese baguette or with rice.
(Optional) Making It Into A Beef Noodle Soup
- Use the same steps in 'Putting It Together', but once the stew is done add in 1-3 cups of beef broth (depending on how thin you want the soup)
- Add fish sauce to taste
- Serve with noodles and thinly sliced sweet onions. Garnish with lime wedges and thai basil.
Nutrition
*Nutritional information is calculated using online tools and is an estimate*
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Kari Ritchie says
Okay, I never leave comments on recipes but was compelled to for this one. Everything is still simmering on my stove top as I type this. I have done so many taste tests that there may not be much left when it's done! It's so delicious and I haven't even added the carrots yet! I followed the recipe exactly as written and it will absolutely be a rotator in my house! Thank you!
Joyce Lee says
Hi Kari!
You gave me quite the giggle today! Thanks so much for coming back to share this with me, it really made my day! I'm so happy you liked it, I'm super happy that I am able to share this with you!
Josie says
I use ox tails for this special recipe . My elder son enjoyed the most, he said the beef meat and sauce are so perfectly enhanced--- kept saying yummy👍 and tasty👍while eating; slurping his ramen noodles
Thank you 👏
Joyce Lee says
Hi Josie,
Oxtail sounds fabulous with the noodles and stew! It's one of my favorite ways to enjoy it too! I'm so happy your son enjoyed it!
Jade Smith says
Hi,
This sounds amazing. I only have Lemongrass paste though, I understand normally you would remove the stalk after cooking. Can I use the past and use less?
Joyce says
Hi Jade,
I have not tried using lemongrass paste but I'll try to help!
Is it lemongrass paste or finely pre-ground lemongrass?
If it is pre-ground lemongrass, you can try putting it in a tea bag, tea ball or cheese cloth (tied up) so that it's easy to remove when the stew is done. If you don't have those, then you should try to fish it out with a strainer if possible so there's no floating lemongrass bits in the stew.
I am not sure how finely ground the lemongrass paste is, but you can try to add it directly and if the bits of lemongrass in the stew is bothering you, you can try to sieve it out before you eat it.
Also, read the ingredient list to see if there's salt in it - if there is, you may need to adjust the fish sauce and use less so it's not too salty but do a taste test regardless to get it to the saltiness that you like. 😊
Hope this helps!
Joyce
Emilia says
This is SO good. A while ago my mother started to try more and more recipes from other countries, so I translated several Asian recipes for her. Today she made this for the third time and mentioned that she prefers this by far to our traditional beef stew. Thank you for sharing this. It's really super tasty. 🙂
Joyce Lee says
Hi Emilia,
Woohoo! I am so happy your mother enjoyed it! 🙂 I'm very happy I can share this
Victoria says
I am looking forward to try this recipe. If I use the oxtail does the weight in the recipe include bones or have the bones already been removed?
Joyce Lee says
Hi Victoria,
Apologies! The recipe in the post is only boneless cuts of beef.
If you are using oxtail, you might end up with less meat in the final product if you use 1kg of it, since most of the weight will be from the bones depending on how the oxtail is cut.
Hmmm I would try using 1.5kg of oxtail instead of 1kg of oxtail if you want more meat. 🙂
I updated the notes in the recipe card to reflect this. Thank you for pointing it out to me!
Victoria says
Thank you for the reply, I tried the recipe using 1 kg oxtail with the bones and it turned out great! After cooking, I removed the bones before adding the carrots and I also removed some of the fat to save for future use. This served 3 people perfectly. I used up all of my onions so I added some raw home-sprouted mung beans and some snow peas with the lime that you recommend. I also used a natural cola with the kiwi for the marinade, fantastic flavor! I will definitely make this again. 🙂
Joyce Lee says
Hi Victoria!
What a good idea removing the bones after it has cooked! You are also brilliant for remembering to save the fat for something else!! 😁
Yay! So happy you liked it and you came back to update me with your ideas!! 🙂
Alisha C Nguyen says
Good gracious, this recipe turns out incredible!!!!! This will be my go-to recipe for bo kho from now on. My Viet husband was very excited to eat this. The kiwi and cola do wonders to tenderize the meat. But I don't want to hear about lame noodles or rice lol. The only way to eat this soup is to dip it with hunks of fresh French or Italian bread...or if you're really feeling ambitious, homemade Viet baguette.
Joyce Lee says
Hi Alisha!
Yay! I'm so happy you liked this! The kiwi and cola do lend a nice sweetness to the dish, doesn't it? 🙂 hahaha you crack me up about the lame noodles and rice hahaha! It's so cozy to have it with those though! Dipping in fresh bread is definitely heavenly! Fresh homemade Viet baguette, for now, will be a dream for me! I'm a terrible baker! haha 🙂
Chris says
Thank you for this! I am giving it 5 stars even though I haven't tried your recipe yet. I have been looking for another recipe to try with Bo Kho (because I am avid fan). So, I do have a question..... Could you do either cola or kiwi? Or do you have to do both? What do you prefer? I'd like to try your suggestion first before I go off and make my own... In trying to perfect my own Bo Kho, I have a freezer full of soup! LOL Also, thank you for the recommendation to use oxtail for this stew... I actually have NEVER thought of this, and I love oxtail! I'll be back to let you know how I like it!
Joyce says
Hi Chris!
You can definitely do cola or kiwi, and you don't need to do both. It mostly depends on the cut of meat you use. I find that cuts of meat like chink (blade roasts) or oxtail actually don't really need a acid to break down the meat fibers at all! Whereas tougher cuts of meat like sirloin tips need the help of the acid to break down to softer meat.
I personally like to do both, only because I like the added sweetness but if when I use chuck or oxtail I will skip using cola or kiwi since I know I don't need it, and I usually don't have those ingredients at home all the time 😀
Hope you like it! and don't hesitate to ask any more questions! 🙂 I'm always all ears for suggestions as well if you ever perfect your own Bo Kho! 😀